Minority members of IFC and Panhellenic

DeltaSigStan · #1 03-30-2005, 12:27 PM

Have you ever been asked this question:

"What's it like being in a white fraternity?"

And, have people automatically assumed you're in a cultural org when you tell them you're Greek, but not WHICH org you belong to?

Damn, it's been a really stressful weeek. I've had to respond with "What's it like to be straight?" (A question just as assinine) like three times this week.

moe.ron · #2 03-30-2005, 12:47 PM

Happen to me a couple time. They assumed I joined one of the Asian fraternity. It's annoying, but what can you do?

Glitter650 · #3 03-30-2005, 02:02 PM

Nope, never.

KSUViolet06 · #4 03-30-2005, 05:33 PM

Honestly no one has ever asked me that. I'll tell them I'm greek and they'll ask which sorority and I'll tell them. Their next question is usually "Is it fun?" to which I reply "yes".

#5 03-30-2005, 05:46 PM

Greek life is not very common where I'm from, but one particular hispanic sorority is very popular among my highschool friends. (Because of UTPA, TAMUK, A&M.)

So, they always assume I'm apart of that group too, which I'm not. They ask what it's like being a minority at conventions and things like that, but I explain to them that I'm not. It does not feel that way, nor has anyone ever made me feel that way. At conventions, there really is a little bit of everything.

#6 03-30-2005, 06:12 PM

When I was in college, most people assumed that I was either a Gammie (Gamma Chi Sigma), a Waks (Wakaba Kai -- Japanese), or a Phi Sig (Phi Sigma Rho) because they were predominantly Asian. All have been on campus longer than AGD. There was no way in hell I'd be part of a local on my campus. Those fucking twats HAZE.

When I tell them that I'm an Alpha Gam, their first reaction is like, "Isn't that the white girls' sorority?"

Some people are friggin' idiots.

Taualumna · #7 03-30-2005, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by OohTeenyWahine

When I tell them that I'm an Alpha Gam, their first reaction is like, "Isn't that the white girls' sorority?"

Some people are friggin' idiots.

I got the same reaction from a friend's friend once. I believe she said "You're in a sorority? Isn't that for white girls?" She went on to say that she wanted to start a local Asian interest GLO. So far, this hasn't happened.

Please realize that the only historically minority GLO at U of T is Alpha Phi Alpha.

sigtau305 · #8 03-30-2005, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DeltaSigStan
Have you ever been asked this question:

"What's it like being in a white fraternity?"

And, have people automatically assumed you're in a cultural org when you tell them you're Greek, but not WHICH org you belong to?

1.) Once in a while when I wear my Letters

2.) I tell them I'm Greek But I make sure I tell them the name of my Fraternity.

emleepc · #9 03-30-2005, 07:12 PM

When I was in school:

My boyfriend is a Kappa Sigma (still in grad school), and he's from Pakistan. There are some Japanese students that are members of Alpha Tau Omega, and there have been Turkish students in Sigma Chi in the past. There aren't any multicultural GLOs at UNA; but there is an organization of the international students, the Global Friendship Organization.

I think that some of the international students wonder why some have joined fraternities, but it isn't a big deal.

Taualumna · #10 03-30-2005, 07:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by emleepc
When I was in school:

My boyfriend is a Kappa Sigma (still in grad school), and he's from Pakistan. There are some Japanese students that are members of Alpha Tau Omega, and there have been Turkish students in Sigma Chi in the past. There aren't any multicultural GLOs at UNA; but there is an organization of the international students, the Global Friendship Organization.

I think that some of the international students wonder why some have joined fraternities, but it isn't a big deal.

I think some foreign students join GLOs to get a "North American experience." Alpha Gam initiated a study abroad student from Britain this year. She was the New Member Class president and said that she joined because she wanted just that.

RACooper · #11 03-30-2005, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Taualumna
I think some foreign students join GLOs to get a "North American experience." Alpha Gam initiated a study abroad student from Britain this year. She was the New Member Class president and said that she joined because she wanted just that.

I do know that's the case with some of the Fraternities here at UofT... while I was active Sigma Chi had a number of brothers from Pakistan, Iran and Turkey; Sigma Nu was pretty much saved (numbers wise) by some Brits; Lambda Chi Alpha had brothers from Korea, Egypt, Iran, Turkey, Philipines, Israel, Russia, Croatia and Saudi Arabia; Delta Kappa Epsilon had brothers from Trinidad, Nigeria, South Africa, Sweden, Mexico and Italy.

Recently I do know that one Tri-Delt has gotten more than a little attention because of her headress - marking her as a practicing Muslim... she gets asked all the time how she can be invovled with Christians (as if Christians are the only people allowed into GLOs).

sfoc · #12 03-30-2005, 08:23 PM

ah . . . minority issues lol. i'm 3/4 chinese, and 1/4 german, but i usually just say chinese. its easier that way lol.

the reactions i 've gotten when i told people i was in a fraternity are different depending on who i tell

alot of my causasian friends assumed i was in the predominantly asian fraternity which isn't a bad thing cuz there are some very respectable MGC greek orgs here. i just chose not to go the multicultural route bc the MGC system at my school is pretty unorganized and i always hear from my ODPhi roommate how its pretty much only IFC and NPC who get sufficient support from the office of greek life.

then i have my asian friends who were like 'oh it figures, he's so whitewashed'

----

i'm a second generation born in america kid so i've always had a little more in common with the same. if i was in a fraternity where everyone was first generation i don't think i would fit in as well.

besides my chapter is pretty diverse anyway and brotherhood transcends race.

Tom Earp · #13 03-30-2005, 08:39 PM

sfoc, true that.

The dogma of today is much different than it was years ago.

It shows jelloism or ignorance.

When will people finally figure out, that color is not a barrier anymore, but an opportunity for people to get to know others and broaden their lives.

DSTCHAOS · #14 03-31-2005, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tom Earp
color is not a barrier anymore

Utopia.

STL Kappa · #15 03-31-2005, 12:17 AM

Quote:

When will people finally figure out, that color is not a barrier anymore, but an opportunity for people to get to know others and broaden their lives.

I hope people do realize this. Unfortunately there have been a few incidents the past year or two at Mizzou that show some people still have a way to go...